


I Want You Back

by Angelicat2



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Canon Compliant, Gen, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Operation Kuron, Post-Season/Series 04, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-25
Packaged: 2019-02-04 10:36:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12769236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelicat2/pseuds/Angelicat2
Summary: ‘Us lions all have your back,’ Red purred within his mind as he took the controls and stirred them in another direction, ‘We want the real Black Paladin back...Black also misses him much like you do.’“Thanks,” he grinned again as he felt her purr of happiness as they floated in space, “So...where do we search first?”<><><>Keith knows something is wrong with Shiro. A week after the battle of Naxzela, he finally understands what's wrong. The Shiro who has been with the team isn't the Shiro he knew. And he wants him back.





	1. Not My Shiro

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Quintessential Bond](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11051280) by [avidbeader](https://archiveofourown.org/users/avidbeader/pseuds/avidbeader). 



Soulmates.

That's what Keith and Shiro were. It sounded cheesy and more of something that Lance would state, but it was true. They had the marks to prove it. But being who he was, Keith had never told Shiro about it. In fact, he had found out the night before the man had left for Kerberos when they were out on the roof of the Garrison. They had been having one of their hangout nights, and the night wind had ruffled Shiro's shirt up. One glance and Keith had almost died from shock. 

On the man's upper left hip was a tattoo-like mark. It was the exact same as Keith's was. Two mechanical lions, one black and one red, stood with a backdrop of stars. If Keith looked very closely, he knew he could see a faint white dot of a ship and three other lions in the very far right. 

He stared at said mark on his own hip right at that moment. Shiro never knew anything about it. When he'd been questioned at the Garrison, he had said it was his soulmate mark, and he was waiting to meet the person. After Keith found out, he didn't have the courage to tell his mentor that he was the person he had been searching for all those years. Shiro had made it clear that he did care for Keith, even if he may not be his soulmate. That had made the raven-haired boy almost cry in happiness and frustration. But he didn’t want to pull the man away from his one life dream because Keith wasn’t worth it...He never really had been, and he didn’t want Shiro to have to give up something because Keith was too insecure. So he didn’t mention anything.

A year went and came until he finally got the chance to even look at the man once again, and this time, Shiro didn't even remember their relationship other than Keith had been a student and him an officer at the Garrison. It hurt so much, but when was that new in Keith's life? The raven-haired teen powered through like he had at any other agonizing disappointment in his life. At least he had Shiro by his side even if it meant the man just thought they were good friends. Keith never said anything about the marks then either.

And now, after he had rescued the man a second time, he was questioning if he even mattered to anyone, much less Shiro. He hadn't meant what he had said at the Trials of Marmora about Shiro being like his brother...The man was more than that to him, but it wasn't like he could say it. They were soulmates, but that didn't mean the man he adored would feel anything back to him. After all, being a kid didn't stop his mom from abandoning him. Begging didn't stop his dad from leaving him or the foster homes from hating him or even the Garrison from kicking him out for not being able to control who he was. Would Shiro honestly feel differently than they all had?

Keith gazed at the two lions. It was weird that their marks had been Black and Red. They had known nothing of the centuries-old beasts that Keith had piloted just months ago. It had been too long since he had last flown Red, and he missed her presence in his mind more than any. She'd know exactly how to cheer him up when he was feeling like this. He suddenly felt the raw itch to slide his cold blade over skin, but he shook himself. Shiro had helped him stop that habit, and he wasn’t about to pick it up again. He survived in the desert without it and when the man had been gone the second time. He didn’t need to do it now even if he felt uncared for.

He quickly got dressed in his regular clothes. Right now, he was in the castle for the night because the Blade was coordinating with Voltron on where to ready their defenses next. It had been about a week after they had negotiated with Lotor, and six days since the team had been told about what he had been willing to do. He had had to explain that he didn’t want to die, but it was the only way. What he had said was true, but now he was pondering whether he was any good with the Blade or around the team at all. Shiro hadn't been all that worried when Keith had talked to them, and it didn't sit with Keith well. He wondered if the man had completely forgotten about them knowing each other at all. It tore Keith's heart when the man wouldn't even acknowledge him.

But that was Keith's life, right? He messed up, and everyone else left him because of it.

Keith felt the tears gather before he shoved down his own feelings. Tears were for the weak. Tears only got you more hurt when others found out about your pain. It wasn't like anyone would possibly care anyway. He caught himself in the middle of his thoughts. He hadn’t been having thoughts like this for years. Honestly, he should have been scared, but he was feeling too numb to feel anything.

He left his room and strolled to the training room. He didn't know why the whole group had been called there. He didn't really want to go because he felt on the edge of collapsing. But they had to come. And he had to keep up an image.

He walked in and was the last one in the room. The others were waiting patiently as Shiro stood in front of them. Keith winced when the man seemed to ignore him again. The others glanced his way before the leader started to speak. Keith wasn't able to listen to him after the first five words. Something just felt wrong with this whole situation. And Keith trusted his instincts beyond anything else. They had saved him both on Earth and here many times.

"Keith."

The Black Paladin's voice pulled him out of his thoughts as the others stared at him. He just blinked back in confusion as the man sighed. A ping of devestation spiked through Keith’s gut at the sound.

"Were you listening to anything I said?"

"Yeah," Keith frowned as the group oozed disappointment, and the tears threatened to appear again, "I'm just...tired."

The group seemed concerned about him, but he just waved them aside as he hunched over slightly.

"What were you talking about?"

"Shiro just said that we should split up," Lance stated as he shrugged, "We need to help a few planets, and we'll get it done faster if we go separate ways and take on each alone."

Something was off about this, and he couldn’t quite place what it was. Keith scrunched his brows in worry because if he remembered correctly, from the current maps in the Blade, the area was almost all under Galra rule. The castles maps could have been outdated enough that they assumed it was mostly clear. It was a bad idea to go in alone though.

"That's Empire occupied territory," Keith raised a brow when the others looked like they had had no idea of that, "Maybe you shouldn't split up."

"It'll be fine," Shiro stated before Keith was even finished with his sentence, "It's mostly been liberated by the rebel groups. We've never actually interacted with this area as far as I can see though."

Keith froze as the others looked thoughtful before they nodded. Keith knew something was definitely wrong now. He suddenly remembered when he had accidentally cut himself with his knife a day ago. Shiro hadn't reacted to it, and Keith knew that soulmates felt the other's pain if it was deep enough. He remembered the pain when Shiro had lost his arm while held captive by the Galra the first time. That had been one of the main reasons Keith hadn't believed the man was dead. He also remembered how Shiro had told him about how his soulmate had cut his or herself when he had found out about Keith. There may have been no scars on the man, but he still had felt the burn of the cuts when Keith had went too far. Something was truly off.

"No," he marched forward as he stood a little taller, "You're not doing this."

"Keith," Allura tried to warn him, but he stared straight at their leader who had a frown on his face.

"No," Keith stated again with an even sterner voice, "I don't care that I'm not a paladin anymore. I'm not letting you do that."

"Keith, we have to because-" Shiro tried to reach out to put his hand on Keith's shoulder, and Keith snapped. He stepped back, slapped the hand away, and almost hissed.

"Don't touch me!" He demanded as he swiftly pulled his dagger out of its sheath and held it, "Who are you? The Shiro I knew would never ever allow us to do what you want us to do. The Shiro I knew wouldn’t send his friends on a suicide mission."

"Keith," Hunk started to try to calm him down, but the teen was not having it. These emotions had been building ever since the man had left for Kerberos.

"No, something's wrong with him," Keith pointed with the hand that wasn't occupied with his weapon before he glared at the man, "Ever since we've found you that second time, you've been off. You've been angry with me, and I don't know why. I thought it was something wrong with me. I thought it was because I joined the Blade when I should have been leading. I thought that I had failed at leading in your footsteps. I thought that maybe I had messed up again like normal, but the Shiro I've known has never gotten mad at me for anything. Even when I ran away from the Garrison, he was there to take me back."

They stayed silent.

"Where is the Shiro who became my mentor at the Garrison?” Keith demanded as he felt the tears come to his eyes, “Where is the Shiro who talked me out of ending my life when I was 16? Where is the Shiro who cared about me when no one else did? Where is the Shiro who I saved and took back to our shack in the desert? Where is the Shiro who I rescued with Black’s help when we were stranded? Where’s the Shiro who accepted my Galra side and got me back to the castle when I was ready to collapse?”

“Keith,” Lance waved his hands around like the teen was a wild animal that needed to be calmed, “Calm down. You’ve been working too hard. That’s Shiro you’re talking about.”

“No, that’s not Shiro,” Keith’s heart shattered when the others didn’t seem to believe him, and he twisted towards the man, “Who are you? I know you’re not my Shiro. You’re not the man I fell in l-”

He cut himself off as he crossed his arms and folded into himself. He had said too much. No one knew of what they had had before Kerberos. No one knew that Keith loved the man as more than a brother, and now he had messed that up. They were going to think that he was trying to get attention with an one-sided love. They were going to say everything that the foster homes had said when he was younger. That it was wrong that he was gay, and that he had no right to even think he could be with his soulmate. They were going to hate him and be disgusted and-

He flat-out refused to let the thoughts roam. If he did, he was bound to break down, and he couldn’t do that. Not in front of the team. Not in front of his only family. He’d even managed as a crappy leader without falling apart too much, but he couldn’t do it now.

“Whatever,” the tears slipped down his cheeks silently as he turned away from the five of them as his own self-hatred only grew, “I’m going to find the real Shiro. Don’t split up.”

“Keith,” Pidge tried to stop him, and he paused for a moment as she sounded sad, “Please don’t leave! We need you. Please!”

“You don’t need me,” Keith sighed as more liquid dripped off flushed flesh, “No one needs me.”

He heard them call, but he ignored them. When he finally got to his room, he slapped the lock into place as he curled up on his bed. He sat there for what felt like hours just staring at the ceiling before a sob fell from his lips. He almost choked on his emotions. He was more than tempted to relieve some of the pain with the luxite of his blade, but he shook himself slightly. The real Shiro would be disappointed if he did that. Instead, Keith cried as the pented-up last two years came out.

Not even five minutes later, Keith packed everything he needed. In his bag, he placed his Marmora armor, some medical supplies he had stored in the room, and an extra set of clothes for Shiro in case he were dressed in prisoner rags. Sneaking his way into the kitchen with his newly acquainted skills from the Blade, he got some food together in a sack before racing off to the hangar where a ship was waiting.

It was one from the Blade. They had used it along with another to get to the castle, and Keith felt bad at leaving with it but the others would be okay. Just as he opened the hatch, a fuzzy purr filled the back of his mind. He almost stumbled back as he twisted to the only one he knew could cause that warm, fiery feeling. Red stood several yards away as her yellow eyes brightened, and she let out a roar. Keith’s eyes widened as he suddenly felt their connection re-establish itself. It calmed him and riled him up at the same time.

“I can’t do it, Red,” he stated as he turned back to the ship, “I can’t take you away from the others. What if they need Voltron? And I’m not even a paladin anymore. I can’t take you away.”

‘Silly cub,’ she answered back with a slight purr which Keith assumed was a chuckle, ‘You will not be taking me. I am taking you.’

“Oh yeah?” Keith raised a brow as he crossed his arms playfully, “How are you going to do that?”

‘I have my ways,’ Keith felt himself go cold as her giant mouth snached him up before he could protest. He was quickly swallowed until he landed in the cockpit’s seat like when he had first entered the lion all that time ago. The chair pushed to the controls as Keith let his bag fall from numb fingers. His hands gripped the sticks with a longing as they petted the controls.

“Good kitty,” he sighed before a smirk landed on his lips, “Think Lance will be shocked?”

‘Blue can have her paladin back,’ she rumbled as she sent him a image of the startled and frustrated Cuban as she moved to get ready to launch her way out of the hangar, ‘Right now, my cub needs someone to be there for him. Shall we find Shiro?”

“Um...yeah,” Keith’s grin was genuine for the first time in months, “That...I...thanks, Red. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

‘Cub, I do,’ she chuckled again as an image of his soulmark appeared in his mind, and his eyes went wide, ‘I believe we have a soulmate to find.’

“How?” Keith didn’t know how to finish that sentence.

‘I am over 10,000 years old, child,’ she purred as he rolled his eyes yet smiled, ‘I have seen many marks. It doesn’t take a genius like Green or her paladin to notice the feelings you have for Black’s paladin. Or his own back.’

“Shiro feels the same?”

‘Always,’ she must have been laughing at his shocked expression as he felt a presence wave itself through his hair, ‘When you were facing the rebel trials, he was by your side. On the way back, he was worried about you.’

“What happened to that Shiro?” Keith asked under his breath as sadness crashed into his heart, “I miss him.”

‘I don’t know,’ she sighed in his head as the door opened into space as she took off into the air, ‘I don’t know.’

They flew out of there faster than Keith had ever flown the robotic cat in his time as a paladin. He didn’t glance back, but he knew the castleship was gradually growing smaller as they raced away from it. The door opening might have triggered some type of warning system to let the others know he was gone. Or Red’s roar could have alerted them, but at this point, he didn’t care. He just knew that he had to find his Shiro, and Red had his back.

‘Us lions all have your back,’ Red purred within his mind as he took the controls and stirred them in another direction, ‘We want the real Black Paladin back...Black also misses him much like you do.’

“Thanks,” he grinned again as he felt her purr of happiness as they floated in space, “So...where do we search first?”

He laughed when she rolled her eyes and grumbled within the cockpit. With that, they raced away at the fastest pace he had ever felt before. In his head, he whooped and cheered. He had missed his wonderful girl and flying at times like this. He almost cried with relief as his feelings calmed to the point where he could focus on what he wanted.

He wanted the real Shiro back, and he was going to get him.


	2. Emotional Connection

“He makes a good point,” Lance stated as they watched their teammate dash from the room as he turned back to his leader who stared back without a hint of sadness on his face, “You aren’t being yourself lately.”

“Lance-” 

“Don’t ‘Lance’ me,” he interrupted with a shrug as he marched up to the man, “I really admire you, man. I will follow you anywhere, but I can’t ignore the way you’ve been treating Keith. What’s your problem?”

“There is no problem,” Shiro waved his Galra arm dismissively as the others gave him and Lance worried glances, “I think we should get back to figuring out who is going where.”

“Um...Shiro?” Hunk asked timidly from the side with a raised brow, “I kind of have to side with Lance on this one. We didn’t want to say anything, but you’ve been ignoring Keith a lot recently. Are you guys okay?”

“Yeah, we’re fine. Why?” Grey eyes stared at them in confusion, “Is Keith okay?”

The rest of the team shared glances with one another. This was getting weirder by the second. Lance stared back at the man who acted like he had no clue that something was up with Keith. 

“If anyone would know,” Pidge spoke with a flat expression and slightly crossed arms, “It would be you. Keith’s more comfortable with you than any of us. Even after your disappearance.”

“Really? It didn’t seem that way,” Shiro raised a brow before he silently rubbed behind his left ear, but the others ignored it, “He hasn’t talked to me yet. I thought he was mad at me or too busy with the Blade work that he has.”

“Dude!” Lance’s eyes widened in surprise as he waved his hands around, “This is Mr. I’m-too-busy-for-everything-that-doesn’t-involve-Shiro we’re talking about. He always has time for you.”

“Well, not anymore,” Shiro’s expression dipped to a downcast expression before he was back in leader mode, “Now-”

“Perhaps it would be wise if you were to talk to Keith?” Allura spoke for the first time since said person left the room, “I’m sure it may clear the air between you.”

“I’d…” he glanced away before continuing, “Rather not. I’m sure Keith just needs some space. Like Lance said, he’s been too busy.”

“Are you okay?” The Cuban widened one eye as he stared the older man down, “I think Keith was onto something. You’ve never just left Keith alone when he’s down. Even when we first became Voltron and Keith went off and did his loner stuff, you made sure he was stillagainstwell, breathing and stuff.”

“Times have changed,” Shiro answered back with a sigh as he closed his eyes, “Look, I don’t want to talk about it. I’m different. Keith is different. We’re all different. We’re all in the middle of a war, and that can change people.”

“Sure,” Lance nodded as he frowned, “Just not this much.”

“Just leave it be,” the man sighed tiredly as his hand ran over his face, “If it makes you guys happy, I’ll talk to Keith in a little. First, we should get back to-”

A noise startled them into becoming completely quiet. They listened closely before their eyes widened and they raced from the room. Minutes went by until they ran into the hangar just in time to see the Red Lion flying out of the room.

“RED!” Lance shouted but felt no connection. He frantically pulled on the mental bond only for nothing to answer back. Allura quickly tapped on her earrings as she shouted to her advisor. Behind her, Pidge groaned as she glared at Hunk.

“I knew we shouldn’t have put the hangar door openers in with the lions.”

“But they make it faster in case Coran can’t open it,” Hunk sighed morosely as she raised a brow, “Yeah...We’ll have to fix that.”

“Coran!” The princess yelled as the lion zipped away, “What is going on with the Red Lion?”

A moment of silence greeted their ears before Coran’s voice shouted back at them through the comms. system.

“I am getting a heat signature within her!” He shouted mustache as they held their breaths while they heard him typing rapidly, “I’m going to call whoever is inside...got it no-”

The feed went dead for a second before the orange-haired Altean screeched in surprise.

“Keith?” They could only hear the man and their teammate because there was no video feed in the hangar, “What is going on?”

“Red and I are going to find Shiro,” they could no doubt hear the grim determination on the teen’s lips as the boy continued, “You can tell the others that we’re not coming back until we have him. Red says that it’s been too long since he’s been home.”

“Keith!” Lance grumbled before he could hold it in, “Now you're stealing my lion!”

“You wish,” they could hear Red’s roar in the background as Keith snickered and soothed her, “It’s okay, girl. Actually, Red stole me. I missed her feisty personality.”

All of them laughed at that.

“Oh, and Lance?”

“Yeah?”

“Red says that Blue can have you back,” they could hear the purr of laughter from the large, mechanical lion before Keith sighed, “I don’t know when I’m coming back, but Red is pretty insistent on sticking with me. I...um...actually don’t know where to start looking.”

“Classic Keith,” Pidge rolled her eyes as she smirked, “You’re basically roaming around space right now, aren’t you?”

“Um...no?” They rolled their eyes as Red roared once again and Keith groaned, “Fine! Yes...Just tell me where to start searching...without Shiro with you guys?”

Said man flinched as if he had been punched, but he just nodded as he stepped out of the room. They gave him a sympathetic glance before he disappeared and the door locked so only those inside and Coran could hear what was going on.

“Do you have to be so mean about it?” Pidge asked seconds afterward. They all agreed that Keith was being rude to the man. It wasn’t like he had to treat their leader like that.

“Sorry,” Keith answered back with another sigh, “Look, I’m sorry about that...But that’s not the real Shiro. Even the lions agree that something is wrong with him...Just tell me where to look first or I’m going to search anyway.”

“First, how did you know?” Pidge asked with a thinking expression on her face as she tapped on her tablet that she randomly had with her.

“I just know Shiro,” he responded after a moment of silence as his tone turned sad and he seemed to whisper, “Even if he doesn’t remember me.”

“And?” She raised a brow as the others stared at her with disapproving faces but she just stared back, “There’s something else, isn’t there?”

“Yeah,” he sighed as Red was heard trying to comfort him in the background, “I’m fine, Red. I’ll be better once we get Kashi back. Shiro and I...we-”

“Oh my quiznak!” Lance shouted and they gripped their ears at the sudden noise, “You’re dating!”

“Yes, Lance. We’re dating,” he stated sarcastically and the team could almost hear his eye roll before he started talking with his lion, “I know, Red. I know I need to tell them...Yes, they’ll know what I’m talking about...I’m pretty sure at least Lance has one...No.”

They frowned as he continued. Lance squinted as if that would help him figure out what his teammate was talking about. Seconds later, Keith started to speak to them.

“Sheesh, girl. I’m beginning to think you like the attention a little too much...stop complaining. It doesn’t need to look like you and Black down to the detail…” He spoke before he groaned and they raised a brow, “Giant, space cats...So Shiro and I ar-”

He cut off into silence as they waited with baited breaths. Seconds later, they heard faint whimpers over the connection. They all shared scared glances only to see they were all nervous. Why was Keith making that noise? They knew he only made that noise if he was hurt or something serious was happening.

“Coran!” Lance shouted with concern, “What’s happening? Keith! What’s going on?”

“Number 4!” The man shouted as they heard Red roar in the background, “Something is wrong! Keith isn’t responding!”

“Like he’s knocked out?” Hunk asked anxiously as he twiddled his thumbs, “Please tell me he’s not…”

“No,” Coran spoke after a moment filled with Red’s various sounds trying to comfort Keith, “He’s awake! He’s just not responding.”

“Like a flashback?” Pidge got a look on her face that screamed she was entering her scientist mindset, “Coran, what does he look like?”

“Um…” The Altean paused before answering, “He’s staring at the screen with a faraway look to his eyes...I don’t think he can hear or see us.”

She tapped her tablet before speaking again.

“What else?”

“He’s holding his chest,” Coran shouted back with a fearful tone, “As far as I can tell, he’s not in any danger. His expression is almost blank!”

“Could it be…” Pidge muttered under her breath as she inspected something on her tablet again, “But that would mean-”

“SHIRO!” Keith suddenly shouted as they all heard a small crashing noise. They grew troubled when Red’s own concerned mewl came over the sound system.

“I’m okay,” he stated after a few seconds with a few moans in between, “I’m okay.”

Her rumbling hiss did nothing to appease the group as they listened in.

“Coran!” Allura spoke with a wary edge to her voice, “What is happening?”

“I don’t know, princess,” he answered with a disturbed voice, “One tick he was blank and the next, he fell out of the pilot’s seat.”

“I’m fine,” Keith’s voice came out as breathy just as his lion quieted down, “Just...that’s never happened before.”

“What exactly happened?” Their resident Green Paladin asked as her eyes flew around the transparent screen in her hands.

“Our connection…” He trailed off before continuing, “I think it came back just now. I think...I saw what Shiro was seeing.”

They all knew he was doing his scrunched-brows thing at the tone of his voice. Pidge quickly typed some more info on the tablet before letting out a startled gasp.

“How’s that possible?” She asked as the others moved forward, “Keith, the only way something like that can happen is if-”

“Shiro and I are soulmates.”

They were all shocked into stillness. Pidge’s thoughts whirled within her head as she messed with her tablet quickly before she pulled up a picture. On it was a close-up of someone’s skin, pale with a scar or two littered in the corners. In the center was a picture of the Black and Red Lions in great detail with the stars pinned behind them.

“Where’d you get th-” Lance started but interrupted himself, “How did you get it?”

“You don’t want to know.”

They shuttered at the thought of how she had gotten a picture of Shiro’s mark, and she rolled her eyes. She had gotten it from the pods. She had been trying to figure out how they worked because Earth had nothing even close enough for cellular regeneration and speed healing like these did. She had picked Shiro's after she had asked him before he disappeared.

“But no bonds have ever been proven to be able to let each other see through the eyes of the other,” she typed speedily as the humans looked bewildered still and Allura was slightly perplexed, “We only know that one can occasionally sense pain from the other.”

“Well, whatever is going on, it’s more than that,” his voice was strained as he huffed, “I’m feeling what Shiro is. Pain, being scared and worried, and confusion. It’s...I think Red’s helping me deal with it because I sometimes hear his thoughts in my head. What’s happening?”

“I don’t-”

“I may be able to answer that,” Coran spoke over Pidge as they heard him tapping on one of the advanced computers, “This is somewhat of a tale that Allura herself isn’t even aware of.”

“Wait,” her cerulean and rosy eyes glanced up, “What?”

“Your father never got around to explaining it, and by the time he thought to, Altea was already in trouble,” the man sighed tiredly before he went on, “In Altean myth, there are few species out there that can connect to those they choose. Usually, it was a mate or close relative, and only one person. Their connection allowed them to feel each other’s being such as emotions, pain, and such.”

“What does this have to do with us?” No one needed to ask what the part-Galra meant by ‘us.’

“When the bond was strong enough, it was said that they could connect to each other,” he explained, “It could be a one-sided sight where one could see through the other’s eyes or both could be one being in a sense. I wouldn’t have believed if not for seeing it now.”

“But Keith is from Earth,” Lance’s eyes were almost the largest they had ever seen them.

“But I’m not fully human,” the teen’s voice sounded resigned.

“Very true,” Coran answered as they nodded, “In fact, it was rumored that very few individuals could do it. Something about quintessence being involved. As far as I’m aware, only five species could form a bond.”

“And the Galra are one,” Allura acknowledged with a half-frown half-smile, “I know us Alteans have never been able to even though we can work with quintessence. But the Galra do not have that ability. How can they create a bond so strong that they can feel one another? It makes no sense.”

“That, we’re not sure about. It was said that the bond couldn’t be felt over galaxies,” Coran spoke as their teammate let out a quiet hiss, “We always thought it had been a legend.”

“Just like Voltron,” Keith deadpanned as the others silently agreed.

“I think I know why they have the connection,” Pidge stated from nowhere as her screen projected an image, “On Earth, our soulmate marks bond us. It doesn’t go past the point of two people being connected. The only thing a bond can feel is extreme pain or emotions. Keith, you’ve been emotionally connected to Shiro since he met you, right?”

“I guess.”

“If you’ve never been emotionally connected to another person,” she stated evenly so her hot-tempered friend wouldn't get angry, “It might not have been from choice. Your Galra side could have been redirecting your emotion bonding with your soulmate bond. Both connected have made your bond even stronger.”

A moment of silence filled the air around them.

“It’s never been this strong.”

“But your connection could have been muted because your Galra side was dormant or because you didn’t know.”

“Wait,” Hunk frowned as he stared at her in thought, “If it was because he knows about being part-Galran, it didn’t connect to him right after the trials. And if his Galra side was repressed, does this mean Keith is going to turn Galra? Like, look Galra? I mean, I really care about you, Keith, but that would be weird. Not that we-”

“I get it,” Keith grumbled as he snorted, “Thanks. I know you’d still accept me.”

“We would,” Pidge grinned as her eyes misted over, “We need you here. We don’t care. Just make sure you come back...And with Shiro.”

“Yeah,” Lance beamed kindly, “I wasn’t kidding when we had our group hug. Who else would I make fun of? You’re the only one who reacts to them around here. Trust me, I even ended up insulting Coran’s mustache, and he didn’t even get mad!”

“Back to the bond,” Pidge coughed awkwardly as she heard Keith snicker, “If it’s because he knows he’s Galran, the connection had been trying to establish itself, but we had our battle a week after and Shiro...disappeared afterward. It could be that he just appeared again. That could be why the connection snapped like that. It had to connect when Shiro was gone, so it’s trying now.”

“And the other idea?”

“The bond has needed time, and it would help if Shiro knew he was Keith’s soulmate,” she stated as she worked on her tablet and showed another series of images, “But once Shiro disappeared, the connection may have been cut off but still building.”

“So...like a pressurized soda bottle?” Lance asked with a frown before he smirked, “Those are fun to make, but they get messy.”

“Same concept,” she raised a brow as she stared at the excited teen in front of her, “The bond has recognized that Shiro is back. All that energy went back to them at once.”

“So...is there anything dangerous with this?” Allura asked with serious eyes gazing off at Blue’s hangar.

“He needs to get to Shiro as soon as possible,” she shrugged, “I’m not completely sure, but I don’t think the bond can wait much longer for a mutual connection. It sounds like a one-way connect right now. Back on Earth, many people never meet their soulmates and it’s fine. But I get the feeling an emotional connection is supposed to be held by two people, and it doesn’t help that Shiro doesn’t know.”

“Got it,” Keith’s voice came out stronger than before as his tone dipped with a steely resolve, “How do I find him?”

“The myths said that bond could lead them to the other,” Coran paused for a few seconds, “I think it’s to do with instinct more than anything.”

“And you’re great at that,” Hunk shouted with a laugh. They all knew it was true. The teen flew everything with it. He fought on instinct, and he trusted on the same. They realized that his instinct had probably led him into the desert to find Blue. It had also probably told him that there was more to the Garrison’s made-up report of ‘pilot error.’

“Thanks, guys...I…” Keith seemed to be searching for better words, “This means a lot to me...Just make sure to be careful? I don’t know who the person we thought was Shiro is, but look into it, okay?”

“Right back at you,” Lance declared as he did his gun fingers towards the princess and they all rolled their eyes.

“Stay safe, Keith,” the Altean smiled as her expression relaxed, “Remember, Voltron needs you.”

“And bring Shiro back home,” Pidge added, “Make sure to call us sometimes.”

“I’ll try,” he answered back, and they knew that was the best they’d get from him. The signal went dead as he hung up on his end. They knew he’d be fine because Keith was excellent at surviving on his own, and Red was there to help. They couldn’t help being agitated and awaited his next call.

“What do we do about this Shiro?” Hunk questioned with wide eyes after a moment, “I don’t want to harm him because he’s basically Shiro, but-”

“We need to examine him,” Pidge answered with a calculating expression, “We can’t be sure who he is exactly yet.”

“Alright,” Lance nodded as he started to march to the exit, “Let’s find him.”

When they opened the door, they didn’t expect the man to be right on the other side. Nor did they think he’d look as pale as he did at that moment. He had his hand pressed against his left temple as if he was trying to pulverize part of his skull. 

“Shiro?” They weren’t sure who spoke as they all advanced towards the man, “Are you okay?”

“Head hurts,” his expression was pained as he started to sway, “Not sure why-”

He collapsed on the spot, and Hunk and Allura barely managed to catch the man before he hit the ground. They looked at the unconscious leader with bothered and puzzled looks as the two supported him on either side.

“We need to get him to the med bay,” the youngest of the team stated as she scowled, “Whatever is causing this isn’t good. Some of the scanners might be able to tell what is wrong. If that doesn't work, we'll need the pods.”

“Alright,” the princess agreed as she and Hunk shared nods, “Let’s not split up at this moment. We’re stronger together after all.”

They smiled at Shiro’s phrase before they trudged their way to the medical room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...Shout out to avidbeader whose story **The Quintessential Bond** has inspired me to write this chapter...If you haven't, go check this amazing writer's works.
> 
> Also, next chapter should be Keith...and I can try to put in Shiro somewhere. I have plans for these two.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, so I'm planning on switching POV's sometimes...Next chapter should be told from the team right after Keith wonders to his room. After that will probably be Keith again.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed so far!


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